Are YOU Frugal?

Tools    





OH...MY...GOD! what timing Captain! I was planning on going to the grocery store and stocking up today, no kidding. But I got a late start this morning so decided to go tomorrow. Now I suppose there won't be any time toilet paper left....again!
Don't panic, Rules.
I was at my local ShopRite today and, despite reports on the news, things were still pretty well stocked. Surprisingly, they had a lot of reasonably-priced chicken (wasn't there a chicken scare at the start of the summer where they said it would be hard to find and cost a fortune?)

Seems the stores wised up after last year and have limits on how much a single customer can purchase at one time on some goods (such as paper products)

What IS noticeable is the price increases!



Don't panic, Rules.
I was at my local ShopRite today and, despite reports on the news, things were still pretty well stocked. Surprisingly, they had a lot of reasonably-priced chicken (wasn't there a chicken scare at the start of the summer where they said it would be hard to find and cost a fortune?)

Seems the stores wised up after last year and have limits on how much a single customer can purchase at one time on some goods (such as paper products)

What IS noticeable is the price increases!
Have you noticed your grocery store being out of different items at different times? I have and at different stores.



Have you noticed your grocery store being out of different items at different times? I have and at different stores.
Yes. But that's been the case during the whole pandemic, and even before.
For me, it works like this: if I discover a new item I really really like (new to me that is)... it will quickly disappear and be discontinued. The more I like it seems to determine how quickly it will become unavailable!



Yes. But that's been the case during the whole pandemic, and even before.
For me, it works like this: if I discover a new item I really really like (new to me that is)... it will quickly disappear and be discontinued. The more I like it seems to determine how quickly it will become unavailable!
Ha I can relate to that!



I'm not frugal at all. I spend money quickly and I don't know what for. It's a terrible quality in me.



Yes, and no.


I am frugal toward most things. But I do spend money on what I truly care about.


In my life experience, I've known the feeling of spending a lot of money on something, having an expectation on how happy I'd be with that, and then after the high wares off, I realize that I'm not really any happier.


I'm also a minimalist and I hate clutter.



“Sugar is the most important thing in my life…”
Did we just become best friends? I’ll get to work on the bunk beds.



Since we are in a current fuel inflation crunch here's some tips I picked up over the years that may save on automobile gas usage.
  • Keep tires properly inflated - if they aren't, they say you'll be using more gas.

  • Drive slowly, safely and steadily - peel outs, flooring it, rapid lane changing, sudden breaking, and speeding all use & waste more gas.

  • Remove excess weight from your car. (Also, if you can remove any exterior accessories like racks or anything that creates wind resistance).

  • Choose the shortest route (this goes right along with ideas like drive less, cut out joy rides, walk, bike ride or use mass transit when you can to avoid driving).

  • Don't idle - turn the car off if you're stopping for any length of time beyond a minute.

  • Don't spend time warming your car up - except for personal physical comfort with the interior heater, there's no reason to "warm your car up" except in exceptionally frigid temperatures. A misconception is that cars need to warm up - they don't need more that a few seconds in warm weather and only about a minute in cold.

  • Check your gas cap, especially after fill ups. Make sure it's always tight. I live in NJ where it's illegal to pump your own gas, and some attendants don't fully tighten the gas cap. A loose cap can cause gas to evaporate quicker or even spill out.

  • Avoid gas stations near the highways - they tend to be more expensive. Try to find the cheapest in your area. (If you live near a state line, gas may sometimes be much cheaper just by buying it in a different state!)

  • In hot times of the year, park your car in shaded areas if possible - this also helps reduce evaporation. (If you have a garage, use it.)

  • Practice regular maintenance - keeping your car running more efficiently (oil changes, filter changes, engine tune ups) will use less gas than a car that is not maintained.

  • Windows open or AC? This one's a trade off - in warm weather the AC uses more gas, but driving with the windows open creates drag and uses more gas. The general rule is open windows uses less gas than AC, but both use more gas... unless you really want to sweat it out by driving in the heat with the windows up and no AC! At least it's not an issue in winter months!

  • Try momentum driving - this is really difficult anywhere there is traffic, and it's a potential speeding risk - but the concept is that your car burns more gas going up hills, but doesn't need to waste gas going down hills, so the idea is to increase your speed on the flat plane before approaching a hill and let that momentum carry you up so you're not depressing the gas pedal so much, then let it coast down hill. Again, this tactic is nearly impossible if there's traffic in front of or behind you, and if you want to maintain a steady speed.



What the heck is a peel out?

Remove excess weight from your car.
LOL. Good excuse not to drive with the MIL.
__________________
I’m here only on Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays. That’s why I’m here now.



That's a car that's been hot waxed but not buffed out
This doesn’t help because I still don’t know what it means.



What the heck is a peel out?



LOL. Good excuse not to drive with the MIL.
Hi Stirch. A "peel out" is when someone floors or nearly floors the accelerator of their car when the car is in a stopped or nearly stopped position - this usually causes the tires to screech loudly, creates smoke (either from the tire friction or out the tail pipe), leaves marks on the road and (IMO) makes the driver look very immature.

Some people will do this at stop lights to try to "beat" traffic, intimidate other drivers, make believe they are a drag racer (or something) or they feel that the smoke & noise "peeling out" creates makes them look "cool" and will impress others - when all it really does it reveal them as a gas waster, someone who adds needless wear & tear to their vehicle (especially their tires), and a reckless driver.



I believe "peel out" is a noun. The expression for the act of doing one is "peel your cap back".



I believe "peel out" is a noun. The expression for the act of doing one is "peel your cap back".
I'm thinking it could be a noun or verb depending on usage.

To perform "a peel out" would be a noun, but if you said "Hey, let's peel out, man!" then that would be a verb.



You ready? You look ready.
I'm thinking it could be a noun or verb depending on usage.

To perform "a peel out" would be a noun, but if you said "Hey, let's peel out, man!" then that would be a verb.
Yup, and this is why English is so English.